BANNER ELK, N.C. – Lees-McRae College students decided to help out baby animals in Australia.

The college’s Director of Library Services Jess Bellemer saw a need for pouches for baby animals that lost their families due to the wild fires. She enlisted students to help with the sewing.

“Everything that happened in Australia with the bush fires, so many animals died so many were displaced and put out of homes and with all the adults dying we have a lot of babies that need some help so it will help multiple species and will help to repopulate with,”  Lees-McRae student Emily Sowder says.

The pouches will provide safety for koalas, kangaroos, and sugar babies.

“Our students have such big hearts, and I love watching them sew those hearts into these pouches," Bellemer says.